Month: January 2018

Despite Taiwan’s Austronesian past and unique food culture, it is surprising that visitors to Taipei cannot sample the country’s earliest cuisine in style. Taiwan’s Indigenous people have a long and proud tradition of essentially slow-cooked food that emphasizes seasonal and organic ingredients – quite in line with the foodie movement currently in vogue. But you…

[ Drink Only in Moderation ] Tea has been the favorite drink of Taiwanese for hundreds of years, but previous generations would be amazed to see the innovative use being made of it by Taipei’s creative bartenders. The cocktail lounges at the Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza (Marco Polo Lounge), Mandarin Oriental (Mo Bar), and W…

Childhood: Consequence-Free Dining at the Night Market Will was on assignment in Taiwan, one of a group of bloggers, YouTubers, and other influencers invited by the Tourism Bureau to produce millennial-friendly content promoting Taiwan on the internet. It was his first day in town, so I figured the night market was a good place to…

More and more restaurants have been opening as increasing numbers of Taiwanese diners have come to appreciate Indian cooking. When Daniel Hsiung first arrived in Taiwan over 22 years ago, only a few Indian restaurants, including the venerable Tandoor Indian Restaurant, founded in 1989, could be found on the island. The overseas Chinese from Kolkata…

Not satisfied with catering just to Asian diners, some Taiwanese restaurants in the region are seeking to expand their customer base. While many would hail the San Gabriel Valley in Southern California as the Mecca of Taiwanese cuisine in the United States, the southern half of the San Francisco Bay Area stands as a…

Baking classes have become a fresh source of entertainment for many millennials, while healthy eating and do-it-yourself dining are driving demand for cooking courses. Cooking isn’t just about eating, it’s also entertainment, which is why boutique-style baking courses and cooking classes are becoming a feature of life in Taipei. Housewives with time and money on…

The concept of food tours is new to Taiwan, but the potential is high, especially in conjunction with business conferences. If there’s one thing on earth that connects people from different backgrounds and gets them talking, it’s food. And there’s always something to talk about, from indulging in a dish that’s an old favorite, to…

[ Do Not Serve Alcohol to Minors ] Consumers are gradually developing a taste for grape wine, but it still remains outside the mainstream dining culture. In 2006, the Taiwan economy was still booming, buoyed by surging trade with the People’s Republic of China. It was a time when many Taiwanese businesspeople thought that closer…

Energetic Italian chefs are introducing one of the world’s great cuisines to the Taiwanese capital. Botega del Vin belies its posh East Taipei location. The restaurant may be situated amid luxury residences a stone’s throw from ZhongXiao East Road, but it feels like a trattoria – a rustic Italian eating establishment that usually caters to…

Publication is expected to help Taiwan’s outstanding restaurants achieve a higher profile internationally and boost tourism. Epicureans with an affinity for Chinese food have long appreciated Taipei’s culinary offerings. The Taiwanese capital has a rich variety of Chinese eateries, from no-frills street stalls specializing in scallion pancake to elegant Cantonese hotel restaurants. Compared to neighboring…

Taiwan Business TOPICS

Taiwan Business TOPICS is published monthly by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, and covers current topic affecting business conditions in Taiwan, an Industry Focus section on a particular industrial sector, and other reports prepared by the magazine’s staff of experienced professional journalists.